dann_0 | PSL: Sentinel AU

Danny frowns as Steve speaks. He doesn't like the way Steve makes it sound like Sentinels are trained animals and Guides are their trainers. Or worse just an addiction. He digs into the food while he thinks. He is worried that that is what this is to Steve and now to Eliot as well. That Danny is just a drug to them. He looks over at Steve. Steve's family. And more than that. Has been for a long time. Danny just hasn't figured out how to admit it to himself yet. And how to face the risk of rejection. Besides, he doesn't like how uneven this whole guide sentinel relationship Steve describes sounds and he doesn't want to risk getting there. Steve is is partner, a human being, not some tool.

"You know I'd follow you if you needed it, right? If it meant keeping you safe, I'd go join up tomorrow." His words are quiet and above all else honest. Even if he is just a drug Steve needs, Steve is more than that to Danny and Danny will follow him to the ends of the earth.

He swallows because he knows Steve is right and that Grace should know that. "Fine fine. There is that group, the Aloha girls or whatever it is called. When she comes by next weekend we can ask if she's interested. That a good compromise?"

Danny is so much more to Steve than just a drug. It's how the military designed their sentinel/guide teams not how Steve feels about them. Beyond everything else, Danny is Steve's family and Steve would do absolutely anything for the other man and to keep him and his children safe. Before Danny, Steve didn't truly understand what it meant to have a family. He had friends before, some he even thought were close, but having Danny in his life made him realize that he'd been kidding himself. That Danny is also his guide really just adds to what was already there. Steve trusted Danny, something he never really did with any of his previous guides, it's made a difference in the way Steve feels and controls his sentinel side. He needs Danny in a way that he didn't before, but not like an addict needing a fix. More like a man who needs the support and affection of his best friend.

"No!" Steve shakes his head in fierce determination. "Promise me that no matter what happens you will never do that. That you will never join up or tell Catherine, or any military personnel, what you are." He looks at Danny desperately. "No matter what happens to me, you have to promise me that you won't... Please." He shakes his head. "I don't want them using you. And they will. They'll use you to get to me. You aren't a tool, or a drug, to be used, Danny. That's all the guides are to the military as well. They have it better than the sentinels but they're being used too." None of this is worth the risk to Danny... Or Grace. It may not be right or fair, but Steve knows that's the way to make sure Danny doesn't sacrifice himself for Steve. "With you being a guide, they'll want to test Grace... It's not worth the risk." He's not worth the risk. "With us not being bonded, we won't go through the separation sickness. The military doesn't need to know. For me... Nothing will change from the last time I was active."

Steve nods and gives the other man a grin. "Yeah, partner, that's a start."

It is a low blow, and Danny knows why Steve does it. And he looks down into his food instead of meeting Steve's eyes. He doesn't like to admit it, that Grace ranks over Steve, he loves them both, but the truth is she does. Steve is a grown man who has been able to take care of himself for a long time before Danny came around and Grace is his daughter. "Can we find out if she is?"

He licks his lips, hesitating before he looks back up. "I won't tell them. But I am not going to let them have you either. We have to make sure they don't know you're active again. How long do you think they'll wait before they give up waiting for you?" He hopes not long. He hopes the two of them can be safe at some point.

Danny doesn't need to admit it out loud, or need to feel guilty about it. The way things are is they way they should be and Steve is completely okay with that. Because Danny accepted Steve in as part of his family, it's that way for him as well. Grace comes first and it's no hardship as far as he's concerned for her to be top priority.

"I... I don't know that there's a test or a way to find out." After he found out Danny came online being exposed to him, and his abilities came back being exposed to Danny, he thought that was possibly how it happened. When he wasn't on mission, the Navy often had him working with new recruits. A small handful of them he knew became guides, most however were transferred out. "Maybe it's an exposure thing, like how you came online? I don't know that there were guides present when I did the first time..." Steve had been under great emotional stress that he had no idea how to cope with. His senses going haywire seemed to be his body's way of trying to deal with that overload. "But maybe it's different for guides?"

He nods at Danny's answer, satisfied the other man will protect himself, at least for his daughter's sake. Then, he shrugs. "Honestly, I have no idea. It's been two years already..." Looking down at his food, Steve moves it around on his plate. Part of him doesn't think they'll ever stop watching and waiting, although he knows Catherine is getting impatient. He's literally stalled out her career and she has high aspirations.

"Then maybe you'll be able to tell, she does spend enough time around after all." Well not as much as her father by a long stretch but still. "Hopefully she isn't one though. I don't want her to have to hide who she is." He sighs and shakes his head. Even more than he wants to protect Steve he wants to protect his daughter. If he has it his way she'll never know of this world, the things done to Steve and other Sentinels.

"Eventually they'll grow tired. I know you hate being patient but we'll wait them out." He reaches over to give Steve a pat on the shoulder and then pushes some more of the food against him. "And until then we'll just be careful."

"Maybe. We should start watching to see if she seems to pick up on other's emotions easier, mine especially. I... I don't really know what's normal for kids, but Grace has always seemed very empathetic and thoughtful." Steve hoped she wasn't one either, but if she was they'd keep her off the military's radar and raise her to be like her father and not like the military guides he knew.

Steve leans in slightly to Danny's touch. He was too focused on what he had to tell Danny about meeting Eliot to fully enjoy the other man's presence when he arrived, but now that the news was out he was starting to unwind and relax in his guide's presence.

"I hope you're right, partner. Honestly, I think Catherine is more than ready to move on as well. With her waiting on me she's not able to advance like she wanted to in her career." It would be difficult though for them to assign someone new to Steve with him not being in active duty, no way for any form of friendship to properly develop in order for the guide to be effective at all. Difficult but not impossible, especially if Catherine didn't get results soon - it could go the opposite way for them. He shudders at the thought and implications of that.

Shaking his head, he pushes the food away. Appetite not really there. "Should Eliot decide to..." He makes a motion with his hand to indicate joining them or at least allowing Danny to help. "He might be able to add more insight on some of this. He's had different experiences and has access to resources that we can't use."

"Yeah, maybe make sure she doesn't spend too much time around Catherine. Maybe we could find out if there is any guides on Rachel's side too. That might increase the chances." Danny smiles as Steve leans in and he rewards him with a squeeze.

Danny raises an eyebrow. "He has? I thought his story was a lot like yours, military and then trying to stay off the radar." He frowns, thinking back to that brief meeting with the other Sentinel. "You think he will?" Danny looks to Steve. "You'll be alright with that if he does?" He knows that Steve considers him his, just as much as Steve is Danny's.

"It couldn't hurt to discreetly ask." Steve gives Danny a look, he's trying to be gentle but it's a touchy subject and he isn't great with being subtle. "No offense, but I don't think it's a good idea that Rachel find out that you're a guide. I know she was your wife and all but I don't trust her not to use this against you."

The rewarding squeeze gets a small smile in response. As soon as Danny is done eating, Steve will clear the table is hoping they can move somewhere more comfortable. Not that he's in any particular rush but he's been without physical contact for several days and only has a couple days with Danny before he'll be on his own again.

"Not quite. He's military but has been out for over a decade and he's not being monitored by the military at all. I don't even think he's on their radar and he mentioned the name he's using now isn't the name he used then." Biting his lower lip a moment, Steve tilts his head. Honestly he doesn't think Eliot will be able to stay away regardless of what he may want to do. "Yeah, I think he'll be around." He offers Danny a smile. "A guide that isn't corrupted by the system is not easy to walk away from. Especially since he's been going without for so long."

Danny's last question gives Steve a moment of pause. It's complicated and not just a strict yes or no answer. Instinctively he feels like Danny is his and he doesn't want to share but he knows that he has no rights to the other man. They aren't a couple or bonded. Worse, Steve can't be exclusive with Catherine and the military at his back, he could easily be called back into active duty even if they don't find out his abilities have returned. It's not fair to Danny for Steve to ask for more than what's been offered or put demands on him that he can't reciprocate. If things were different... But they're not and he doesn't let his mind go down that road.

Forcing a smile he shakes his head and stands, picking up his dish to take to the trash. "I'll be fine. You feel like you can trust him and I trust you. Besides, I think he needs the type of support that you can offer. Those in our situation should help each other if we can. He's very protective of his friends, Hardison and Parker, and I can see him adding you into that inner circle quickly." If he hasn't already.

"So Eliot isn't his real name?" That makes Danny pause. Anyone he'd get involved with would have to be someone he could trust enough to bring Grace around. Because if he couldn't then she might get seriously hurt. He stands and helps Steve clear away the food. Is Eliot running from anything other than the military? What is the chances that would come after Steve or him?

"You'll tell me if that changes right? If you're not fine?" Steve is first priority when it comes to this. He wants to help Eliot and he is proud of Steve for wanting to as well, but he won't let it come between Steve and him. "I hope he plans on adding you to that as well." He smiles as Steve as they finishes cleaning and then moves to the bed, pulling off his tie and shirt as he moves. He knows the skin contact makes it easier for Steve and he enjoys the warm touch as well. He pats the bed next to him and reaches for the remote.

"You mean a guide that isn't going to hurt you for messing up. I... Fuck how can they feel connected like this and allow you to be hurt?" Danny didn't understand that. He might not be as sensitive as a Sentinel but he can tell when Steve's upset. It makes his skin crawl.

Steve shrugs as he clears away the dishes."It's possible he kept the same first name and just changed the last, but he did tell me he didn't serve under the name 'Eliot Spencer'."

He appreciates Danny's concern, but he won't be changing his mind and he simply nods in response. The only other option for Steve is to make unfair demands on Danny and he won't be doing that. If Danny wants to help this other sentinel, unless Steve sees signs of danger or trouble, he will support Danny fully.

"We'll see how things go." They seemed to get along well enough but he's well aware that Eliot's draw here is Danny. "Right now I think he needs to find his footing and adjust to the changes you've already introduced and are offering him." Steve is just an extra complication, but here too he plans to be supportive. The easier he can make this for Eliot, the easier it will also be for Danny and that is his ultimate mandate.

As Danny pulls off his shirt and tie, Steve becomes fixated. The scent that fills the room and sight of all that exposed skin... His guide's skin... Before he even realizes he's moving he's pulling off his own shirt and crawling up onto the bed to snuggle into Danny. What he really wants to do is push his nose into Danny and inhale deeply but that's a sure fire way to make himself high on his guide. The need is there but he has enough control to rest his head over Danny's heart and hug the other man close, sighing in contentment. "I'm not certain they feel the connection the same way you do. You saw me as a friend first. Being this came much later after we already had a solid friendship. The guides I worked with... I was assigned to them, always an asset first. The training... Part of it is them seeing how far they can push my limits, supposedly so they know when to back off in the field and not push too far in a bad situation. In the beginning zoning is a fairly regular thing, but it's also part of the training so they can learn to bring me back out. You've never sent me into a zone, only helped bring me out of them." A high yes but that was completely different and more like a stress relief for Steve.

Danny wraps an arm around him and strokes along Steve's spine. This had become something that he enjoys too, if nothing else for the sheer act of seeing Steve relax like this. "I can see maybe learning how to bring you back out but heck it isn't that hard. If they bothered to read your body language it is pretty simple actually. I can't imagine purposefully pushing you into zoning." Fuck no, it looks scary as fuck and he doesn't want to see Steve like that any more than he has to. "Sounds like they don't care about what they are doing."

And for that he hates them. Someone doing this on purpose to Steve and to Eliot? Yeah, no they are people who doesn't deserve anything but his hate. "Come on. We'll discuss this tomorrow, you've had a long day. Let's just relax and watch bad tv, hm?"

Cuddling into Danny, Steve damn near purrs as he's stroked along his spine. Without a guide, Steve finds that his senses grate. Everything feels slightly off, itches and becomes uncomfortable, like hearing nails down a chalkboard or his skin is just slightly too tight. After a while it becomes background noise and he can function but it's a mild annoyance. The presence of a guide removes all that and can provide the opposite effect. Things become cleaner and clearer, brighter and all around easier on the senses. Some guides it takes a long time to achieve any sense of relief, with Danny it's pretty much instantaneous.

He smiles into Danny's chest, happy that the other man finds it so easy and natural to help him. Sometimes Steve worries that he's taking advantage of Danny or that Danny might feel that way. Knowing that the other man enjoys their closeness and finds helping Steve obvious eases that worry. He knows it's not as easy for all guides - at least not all those he's had to work with. "I think that's all you, Buddy. You do what comes naturally and you care. I know I can trust and depend on you to have my back. It makes a difference. Having the ability to be a guide doesn't make the guide."

To Steve, that sounds like an excellent idea. "You going to make me watch that Naked and Afraid show you were talking about?" The tone of his voice reveals that he really wouldn't mind if Danny does. He'd give Danny the moon out of the night sky if that's was possible and the other man wanted it.

PSL: Sentinel AU

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland

Re: Danny and Steve: Surprise, I'm in Portland